


Shot to the light

by TiffanyF



Series: Look where you least expect to find love [11]
Category: CSI: Miami, CSI: NY
Genre: Angst, M/M, hanky warning, talk of an afterlife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 10:42:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/785138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiffanyF/pseuds/TiffanyF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers for Season Nine Episode 22, "Mayday". Horatio gets a chance to talk to someone he never thought he'd see again. Part of the "Least Expect" universe, but set in the future of where the series is now. Don't own, don't claim, no money made here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shot to the light

Horatio paused by his Hummer and pulled out his cell phone. "Mac, it's me. How long would it take you to get to the dock and meet me for an investigation?"

"Depends on traffic," Mac replied. "I can leave right now if you want me to."

"Please. Boa Vista got a tip that our escaped convict is meeting an old friend there and something doesn't feel right about that," Horatio said. "We're leaving now, Mac. As quickly as you can, please."

"I'm in the car now. Send me the exact location?"

"It's done. I'll see you there, Mac. Love you."

"Love you too, H. Be careful."

"Always."  
***  
Horatio felt the burn before he heard the shot and it took a moment for his brain to process he'd been shot. He could hear Boa Vista talking to him, asking him where he was shot, but he couldn't speak. Couldn't make his throat form the words to tell her that he would be okay, that Mac was coming and would be there to save them. He registered that she was gone, taken from his side by someone, but he couldn't focus. Couldn't gain control over his body to go and help her. He tried to focus enough to get to his knees, to take a shot, but he couldn't Everything went black around him.  
***  
Mac heard the shot as he was getting out of his car and he ducked instinctively. He knew no one knew where he was, but he also knew exactly what Toller was capable of, and he wasn't going to take any chances. Mac started towards the Hummers, not sure what he would find, but his lover on the ground bleeding wasn't anywhere near the top of his list. He didn't even stop to think about it, Mac ran to Horatio's side and only just happened to catch a glimpse of Boa Vista fighting to get out of the trunk of an old car, and the man holding a gun on her. Mac stood and fired twice, taking the man down. "Natalia, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How's Horatio?" she called back, running towards them.

"Bleeding out," Mac said. "Call it in, Natalia. We need medics here now."  
***  
Horatio looked around the lab's trace room, an older trace room that he hadn't seen in years. "So, either the lab has regressed back in time or I'm unconscious and in a place I feel safe," he said, tapping his fingers on his ID card. "Time travel isn't possible, so that means the shot was worse than I thought it was."

"It was," a dry voice said behind him.

"Tim." Horatio turned around and grabbed the younger man in a tight hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought you'd like somewhere familiar to wait while your body undergoes surgery," Speed said. He burrrowed in against Horatio and sighed. "I've missed you so much, H."

"I've missed you too," Horatio said. "So much, Tim. You've been watching over us, haven't you?"

"Yep. Come on, let's sit down. Figured it was the least I could do for you, seeing how much you watched over me when I was alive," Speed said. "Mac's good for you, H."

"He is. I just wish we had you there with us to make our family whole again," Horatio said.

"I don't know what happened with the gun, H. I don't. If there was some way for me to go back and change it, I would. You won't remember much of this when you wake up, so I guess I can tell you that I've been offered another chance at life," Speed said. "They even let me pick my parents. I'm hoping I'll be able to make better choices this time around."

Horatio looked at him. "So you, you'll be back in the land of the living," he said. "No more guarding the team from up here?"

"No, but I've made some friends and they'll be keeping an eye on you," Speed said. "How's the rest of the team doing?"

"They're good," Horatio said. "We've got some new faces in and had some issues, but everyone has worked through them and come through stronger for it. I suppose you saw what happened to Jesse."

"Yeah, and he never showed up here," Speed said. "I don't know what happened to him when he died. There's a lot up here that they don't tell you about until you've been here years. I think by years they mean centuries, but given how often they encourage people to try at life again, there's no one who can tell me if I'm right or not. I had to pull a lot of strings to be able to see you like this, Horatio, but I had to see you one more time. I'd rather it be in a dream, rather than you dying in the hospital, but I'll take what I can get."

"I'm dying?"

"You lost a lot of blood and the bullet ruptured a couple of things, but as long as the doctors do their job and clean everything out, you'll make it," Speed said. "You just can't do much for a couple of months after you wake up."

"That'll let me get to my backlog of paperwork," Horatio smiled. "You know Mac will keep me down for as long as the doctors tell him to."

"Yeah, I know. I wouldn't be trying life again if he wasn't with you," Speed said. "I've been promised that it's safe for me to go, that you'll be watched and nothing deadly is going to happen to you for years from now. They seem to know what they're talking about, so I'm going to try it, but I've reserved the right to hurt them if I come back and find out you died on their watch."

Horatio smiled. "I think you're the only one who would dare threaten, are they angels?"

"Busybodies, if you ask me, but it's let me stay close to you, so I'm not complaining," Speed replied. "You know I've never believed in religion, heaven and all that crap."

"I know." Horatio pulled Speed in against him. "Part of me is scared this is just a drug induced dream, Tim. I know I'm going to wake up and you'll still be dead, but I want this to be real, if only so I know you're okay."

"I'm okay," Speed said. "It sucks being dead and I'm looking forward to being able to have hamburgers again, but I'm okay. I hate that I left you alone like I did, but it's not your fault I died. Don't blame yourself for that, Horatio. Can you do that much for me, please? You didn't fail me. You never failed me."

"I could have checked your gun, Tim. I should have checked to make sure you were okay with it, that you were cleaning it like you should have been, or pulled you from the field and taken away your certification," Horatio said. "I think you would have been happier in the lab, wouldn't you?"

"Probably," Speed agreed. "I know Mac's talked to you about this, H, so I won't rehash everything, but I don't blame you. If I don't blame you, how can you still blame yourself?"

"I'm the boss, Speed. I'm supposed to be the one who takes the blame for everything so my people can heal and work." Horatio sighed. "What do you think about Stetler's new attitude?"

Speed snorted. "If I'd known sex on a regular basis would make him nice, I would have found him a boyfriend years ago," he said. "Frank seems happy enough."

"He's happier than he was when he was married," Horatio said. "They're not a couple I would have pictured together, but they've lasted and that speaks volumes."

"I suppose. Better them than me though," Speed said. "That's the only part I'm not looking forward to. I'm going to be touched by people again, and it scares me. They tell me I'll remember bits and pieces of my last life. Not enough to be me again, but some things will come easily to me. I'm wondering if being touched will still be an issue with me."

"There's only one way to find out, Tim," Horatio said. "That's to do it. When you get old enough, if you still remember me, would you, would you come and find me again? Even if you don't say anything, just look in for a minute. Find a way to let me know you're happy."

"H, you're not going to remember that I'm back on Earth," Speed said. "It won't make any sense to you if some random kid shows up and says they're happy."

"I think I'll always know it's you, Tim. After everything we've been through together, how could I not?" Horatio asked. "I feel a tugging, is that me being sent back down to my body?"

"Yeah," Speed said. "You must be getting ready to wake up. Mac's there waiting for you. Hug him for me, would you?"

"I will," Horatio said. He pulled Speed into a tight hug. "I love you, Tim. Love you so much. Be happy in your new life."

"I'll try," Speed said. "Be safe, Horatio."  
***  
Multi-colored eyes that had settled on gray were staring down at him when he cracked his eyes open again. "Mac," Horatio croaked.

"Welcome back, love," Mac said. "You don't get to do that again, do you hear me? They had to remove part of your large intestine and your appendix. Now, how much do you remember?"

"Natalia?"

"She's safe. I got there in time to save her along with you," Mac replied. "Another minute and she would have been dead. Looks like your natural gift for sensing trouble saved you both."

"How long?"

"Couple of days. Eric's waiting outside with Ryan. They've been taking turns waiting for you to wake up," Mac said. "Calleigh and Alexx will be here later tonight. Cal's running the lab for you."

"Good. Toller?"

"They got him. Frank took the shot and nailed the bastard in the head," Mac said. "You just have to rest and get better."

"Lot to tell you."

"When you're more awake," Mac said. "Sleep, Horatio, I've got you."


End file.
